Advancements at the bedside: Diagnostic and therapeutic tools

The field of medicine today is evolving to bring care directly to the patient at the bedside. New technological advances have allowed for quicker diagnoses and, therefore, more efficient patient care. Bedside ultrasound has become more compact and portable so that it can fit in the pocket of a lab coat and transmit images over Wi-Fi networks. The availability of new and improved point-of-care testing has decreased the time between diagnosis and treatment. Non-traditional applications of the smartphone are increasingly expanding, and are being used to reach users in settings outside the hospital and clinic. In addition, the use of video laryngoscopy has become more of a first-line therapeutic tool for airway management at the bedside.